CNBC to Premiere 'Liquid Assets - The Big Business of Water' September 30th

With only 3 percent of the world's water existing as fresh water, nearly every continent in the world is feeling the affects of the global water crisis, and many lack the basic infrastructure needed for delivery. For some, it's the lack of clean drinking water. For farmers, it's the inability to feed the thirst of their valuable crops. Just as "easy oil" has dried up, fresh water has become more difficult to access and transport.

Many believe that this crisis could be the cause of wars, while others believe it is the business opportunity of a lifetime. Is water the same as air; free for everyone? Should there be a price put on every last drop of h2o? Is water the most under valued, under appreciated commodity the world has ever known?

We'll take you to the American West where seven states compete for the same water from the Colorado River Basin. How long can it sustain such a demand? In Alaska and Wisconsin, there is an abundance of water. How can they capitalize on their excess supply? Does Chile have the answer to the public vs. private water debate? We go to the south of Chile where water rights are bought and sold and to the north which is one of the driest place in the world.

Did you know it takes 300 liters of water to produce a mug of beer, 100 liters per glass of milk and 16,000 liters for every hamburger? What happens to the cost of doing business as the water supply gets more and more strained?

CNBC’s Michelle Caruso-Cabrera explores those questions and more in the CNBC Original Production "Liquid Assets: The Big Business of Water."

"Liquid Assets: The Big Business of Water" will premiere on Thursday, September 30th at 9pm and will repeat that evening at 1am.

The show will also air on Sunday, October 3rd at 9pm.